Assurance Wireless AKA Virgin Mobile scam, inept, fraud, misrepresent  Internet

Applied for "free" mobile service using Lifeline qualification and was told they never received application. This was after being transfered and talking to many service representatives in Columbia over several days trying to find out why I kept getting text and voice messages from them that I needed to apply for lifeline service. I had already sent the application in with proof of being on SSI and was told not to reapply because you can only apply once. Seems like a catch 22 here. I'm sure they received my application because they sent me the phone and activated it with 250 free hours which was mostly used to call their customer service to try get them to stop calling and texting me about not having their service when obviously I have it.

This company is so inept they couldn't even correct my name on the account (mispelled last name) after several calls let alone explain why I keep receiving calls from them when I'm already on the service directing me to reapply (you can only apply once per year). I have since read other complaints that they have discontinued people for fraud because they sent in more than one application which seems to be what they try to get you to do. Don't do it! 

The phone itself is very poor quality and not worth the frustration of dealing with outsourced customer service you can't understand and who can't understand you either.  It took me 3 hours to get someone who could disconnect my service when I told them I was just going to recycle the phone if they didn't want it back (they didn't .. not a big surprise). The guy who was disconnecting me kept trying to tell me that I would get a different number because the service is "free" and I couldn't get him to understand that didn't make any sense as I just wanted to be discontinued. Complete lack of communication with these people .. language barrier is unbridgeable. 

From what I'm now reading of other peoples problems, I'm convinced this is a scam of some sort on the government and not really sure how to report these people and have them investigated. They are not delivering free service to anyone and use the language barrier to avoid solving problems. I have never been so frustrated dealing with a company as this one. The time and stress make this service anything but "free". I am so happy to not have this free service any longer! I am worried about them milking the lifeline program for service they aren't providing though. Something needs to be done to put a stop to this fraudulant company.